• Sidi Gona said Mbogo and his son had rain charms
• She led them where they were bludgeoned to death
Image: Elkana Jacob
A Kilifi woman who caused the deaths of two people by accusing them of witchcraft has lost her appeal and will serve a 25-year jail term.
Sidi Gona had in 2019 asked the court to reduce the term and allow her to serve the remainder on probation. She has been in jail for six years.
Justice Eric Ogola dismissed the petition, saying that the trial court had been lenient to Gona.
“Despite the law providing the mandatory sentence of death for the charge of murder, the trial court considered the petitioner’s mitigation and sentenced her to 25 years. Further, killings of people in Kilifi county on allegations of witchcraft is very rampant,” the judge said.
Gona was charged alongside four others with two counts of murder on December 22, 2011.
She was charged with others with the murder of Riziki Mbogo and his son Charo Kitsao at Lango Baya village Kilifi. They pleaded not guilty.
Mbogo and Kitsao were farmers who resided at Mkondoni.
The court heard that Gona alleged that Mbogo and Kitsao had charms which interfered with rain. A group set out to find the charms.
A search at the farm of Mzee Mbogo did not yield any charms. The group proceeded to the home of his son Kitsao.
The two men were ordered by the five convicts and others with them to accompany them to Lango Baya ostensibly to have the matter dealt with by the District Officer.
Witnesses said on the way, several stops were made to gather more witches as the five asked people to come help kill them.
Mbogo’s two wives and his grandchildren told the court that upon reaching Makalatsi in Lango Baya, one of the five invited people to come and kill the witches.
Around 300 people turned up and they began to sing dirges. The mob set upon Mbogo and Kitsao and bludgeoned them to death.
The witnesses testified that by the time local police arrived at the scene, the mob had dispersed and the two were long dead.
Kitsao’s daughter told the court that the group of five came to their home and announced that they were there because of rain.
When Kitsao asked who had reported there was rain on his farm one of the five said it was Gona.
She allegedly said that she had seen witchcraft paraphernalia and suspected that Kitsao practised witchcraft.
After an exchange, Kitsao was ordered to join the group to go to the DO’s office.
“The journey to Lango Baya where the DO's [office is], about 10km away started in the morning. After getting to a place called Kwa Kapira, they stopped for about two hours. After the journey resumed the five accused ordered a second stop at a place called Makalatsi,” she said.
“We were ordered to stop. One made a phone call saying, 'Here are the witches. Come we kill them'.”
Kitsao’s son said he rushed to the Administration Police camp to seek help but none was forthcoming.
By the time he returned at around 6pm, he found the group had moved from the location of the first stop. Further ahead, he discovered the bodies of the two victims who had been bludgeoned to death.
Trial judge Christine Meoli said the accused knew that their actions would incite the public to inflict grievous harm or even to kill the deceased.
“In my considered view, the accused are liable for the death in the same way as those who physically assaulted the deceased,” she ruled in 2015.
(edited by o. owino)